While the Mideast tensions rise along with sectarian violence in Iraq, President Bush rejects federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, and gas prices remain close to an all-time high . . . today's Washington Post offers this insight into "
Deboarah" Pryce's day on Capitol Hill yesterday.
"Diane von Furstenberg , lobbying on Capitol Hill against fashion piracy and in favor of copyrights for designs (though first, we guess, they'd have to catch those guys selling knockoff handbags on the street). The wrap-dress pioneer breezed into the offices of Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) yesterday wearing (yes!) a brown wrap dress, suede jacket and cork platform slingbacks. Pryce, in tribute, wore a DVF wrap shirt."
At the lowest price of $298 for a Furstenberg "wrap skirt", it would take 58.25 hours of work for a minimum wage worker to earn enough to buy one.
Deborah Pryce has now voted AGAINST the minimum wage SEVEN times in the last month including again yesterday when she voted to dismiss a move by Rep. George Miller to increase the minimum wage by $2.10 from $5.15 to $7.25/hour over a two year period. [H.R. 2389, H.R. 2429, Vote # 382, 7/19/06]
In the nine years since the federal minimum wage was raised, Congress has voted itself nine pay hikes totaling nearly $35,000 a year, while a full-time minimum wage worker's annual pay has not budged from $10,712.
Just last month, House lawmakers cleared the way for a $3,300 pay raise that will increase their salaries to $168,500.